Ahmed Qayoumi will speak about current topics and frequently asked questions of Islam.

Worship Associate: Alex Emig

Musician: Mike and Shannon

November 15 ~ "Honoring Skepticism"

Speaker: The Reverend Doak M. Mansfield, D.Min.

Doak says of his message, “Curiosity comes first and for me but doubt accompanies most assertions of ‘truth’ I confront. I’ll look at that trait in human nature.”

Worship Associate: TBD

Musicians: Ellen Fillion

November 22 ~ "Reflections on Thanksgiving"

Speaker: The Reverend Doak M. Mansfield, D.Min.

Doak says of this topic, “For me the observance of Thanksgiving is the most sacred of holidays and most UU in meaning. I’ll explain why I have these feelings.”

Worship Associate: TBD

Musician: Mike and Shannon

November 29 ~ "Thankfulness"

Speaker: CUUC Members

This Sunday, after the Thanksgiving holiday, we’ll take time to explore thankfulness.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Ellen Fillion

OCTOBER SERVICES

October 4 ~ "The Virtue of Gratitude"

Speaker: The Reverend Doak M. Mansfield, D.Min

Doak says of this topic, "I always cringed at Mother’s admonition to ‘Be Thankful!’ I will nevertheless offer some thoughts on the quality of gratitude as an aspect of character and the spiritual life."

Worship Associate: Mike TruexMusician: Ellen Fillion

October 11 ~ "Can't We Get Along?"

Speaker: Alex Emig

This sermon proposes a way of dealing with people we perceive as different. Come find out what it is.

Worship Associate: Alex EmigMusician: Mike & Shannon Truex

October 18 ~ "Blessings & Curses of the Past"

Speaker: The Reverend Doak M. Mansfield, D.Min.

"In the northern hemisphere, the ancient ones considered this time of the year as very significant; the entrance into the shorter days and longer nights – a time of remembering and reckoning. I’ll work those notions in these reflections," Doak says of this message.

Worship Associate: Bobi WilsonMusician: Mike & Shannon Truex

October 25 ~ "Why I Am a Unitarian Universalist Pagan"

Speaker: CUUC Members

Thoughts on why a Pagan approach to life and spirituality is useful and applicable to the life of a Unitarian Universalist.

Worship Associate: Diane ReedMusician: Ellen Fillion

SEPTEMBER SERVICES

September 6 ~ "Sharing the Words and Learning the Tune"

Speaker: Rev. Doak M. Mansfield

Our new minister, The Reverend Doak M Mansfield, begins his ministry with us with a message that gives a sense of his ideas and understanding of the Unitarian Universalist

ministry.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Ellen Fillion

September 13 ~ "Mingling of Waters"

Speaker: CUUC Members

The Mingling of Waters is CUUC's traditional ritual of gathering at the end of summer to mark the beginning of a new church year. Everyone is invited to bring water that was

collected from summer journeys and experiences (symbolic water welcome) and combine it with the water from others. We'll have a chance to share the essence of our stories from

this summer, the part that has meaning to us, and reaffirm our bonds of community.

Worship Associate: Alex Emig

Musician: Fran Handy

September 20 ~ "Spirituality and Community in a Post-Modern Culture"

Speaker: Rev. Doak M. Mansfield

Doak will consider the difficulty in finding meanings that make sense and bless, and relatedness that nourishes and nurtures in a society where traditions are suspect and

'corporatism' is enslaving. If his notions have validity, are there implications for CUUC in his analysis?

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

September 27 ~ "This I Believe"

Speaker: CUUC Members

Today, a few church members will share how they respond to an opportunity to say "This I Believe …"

In a religion such as ours, where we are expected to question, doubt can play a valuable role. Yet in order not to spill over into cynicism, doubt must be balanced by faith. Today we’ll explore the role of honest doubt in religious authenticity.

Worship Associate: Diane ReedMusician: Ellen Fillion

August 9 ~ "Ecstasy, Then the Laundry"

Speaker: John Roach and Zahra Khan

About our experience of finding a shared Spiritual language before marriage and what happened afterwards.

Worship Associate: Diane ReedMusician: Ellen Fillion

August 16 ~ "Life Lessons"

Speaker: Alex Emig

Watching my father battle a life-threatening illness has caused me to reflect on my life. Come hear the stories behind some of the lessons he taught me.

Worship Associate: Alex EmigMusician: Mike & Shannon Truex

August 23 ~ "Woven Threads"

Speaker: Teri Robertson

Weaving old and new, our past, our future, goodbyes, and welcomes as summer begins its end.

Worship Associate: Mike TruexMusician: Mike & Shannon Truex

August 30 ~ "Work and Rest: The Rhythm of Our Lives"

Speaker: Diane Reed

This sermon, by the Rev. Cathy Bowers, addresses the work/rest balance that is missing from so many of our lives. As we approach Labor Day, it offers some interesting background and suggestions for how to improve that balance.

Worship Associate: Diane ReedMusician: Ellen Fillion

JULY SERVICES

July 5 ~ "In The Middle"

Speaker: Mike Truex

We must deal with a wide range of situations in how we live our life. Sometimes we feel powerful - sometimes insignificant, most of the time I think we’re in the middle.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

July 12 ~ "Everything is Holy Now"

Speaker: Rev. Bill Graves

This sermon uses Peter Mayer’s wonderful song, "Everything Is Holy Now," as a framework for exploring the history and theology of aspects of what has been called Unitarian Universalism’s most peculiar and distinctive contribution to the world’s religious agenda:

Our Seventh Principle: The "interdependent web of existence of which we are a part."

After retiring as a practicing attorney Rev. Graves attended theology school at Seattle University and was ordained into the UU ministry in 2010. He has served as minister to UU congregations in Skagit Valley and Tacoma and in September will begin serving part time as minister of Kittitas Valley UU Congregation in Ellensburg. He lives with his wife, Frances, on Whidbey Island.

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Ellen Fillion

July 19 ~ "They are us and we are ONE"

Speaker: Denise Pitts

A discussion of the inter-related web of life; why race is a manmade construct; and the reason men have nipples.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Ellen Fillion

July 26 ~ "My Story"

Speaker: Dave Comstock

I will share my story and what I have learned along the way. I believe sharing our stories is key to building strong connections in our community.

Worship Associate: Alex Emig

Musician: Fran Handy

JUNE SERVICES

June 7 ~ "Toads Do It in the Water"

Speaker: Rev. Barbara Burke

I knew nothing about toads before I went to serve the Daytona Beach congregation as its minister. You can imagine that moving from Seattle to Daytona was a shock. During bike week (that's when half the motorcycles in the Southeast congregate in Daytona) the sounds of the bikes never stop. Ditto during the auto races when they were running, an almost constant high pitched whine. However, getting out to local lakes, swimming in the Atlantic, and living on an estuary helped us learn more about the natural world there. I came away with an affection for pelicans, manatees, and toads.

Rev. Barbara Burke was called to serve Northlake UU Church in Kirkland (WA) 25 years ago. She also served churches in Edmonds (WA), Rockford (IL) Daytona Beach, FL and Carrollton, TX. Barbara lives in Seattle now and attends Westside UU Church.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Ellen Fillion

June 14 ~ "This I Believe"

Speaker: CUUC Members

Today, a few church members will share how they respond to an opportunity to say "This I Believe …"

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Ellen Fillion

June 21 ~ "Father’s Day"

Speaker: CUUC Members

Father's Day, so we’ll take some time to hear a few members share about their fathers.

Worship Associate: Alex Emig

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

June 28 ~ "Super Hero Boot Camp"

Speaker: Jordan Chaney

Discover your super self through the art of spoken word and performance art.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

MAY SERVICES

May 3~“Engage the World Without Leaving Home”

Speaker: Leigh Terrass

In this world of conflict it is hard to imagine what any of us can do to promote international peace. How can we, in the midst of our busy lives, make ‘them’ -other people living distant busy lives - like ‘us’? Adding a family member through international exchange has rewards on all sides, far greater than people imagine.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

May 10~ “What I Learned in Jail”

Speaker: Jim Dyson

Come hear of Jim’s experience with the Benton County Jail and through his interactions with jail chaplains.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Justin King

May 17~ “Take Good Care”

Speaker: Rev. Kate Taliesin

Rev Taliesin is a full-time chaplain at Seattle Children's Hospital and is a minister affiliated with East Shore

Unitarian church in Bellevue. For many people, life is described as being “crazy-busy.” This sermon focuses on using mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-care to nurture spirit and soul in an all-too-busy world.

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

May 24~ “What Happened to Decoration Day?"

Speaker: Diane Reed

The origins of Memorial Day trace back to Decoration Day, a solemn day devoted to decorating the graves of soldiers. Today, Memorial Day is a "holiday" that seems to focus more on barbecues and fun than remembrance. What are we missing?

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Ellen Fillion

May 31~ “Many Ways to Pray”

Speaker: CUUC Members

More than its narrow definition as a petition for guidance or help, prayer is a way of connecting inwardly and outwardly. According to Matthew Fox, prayer is a radical response to life’s mysteries. In this intergenerational service, we’ll explore and experience different and unexpected ways to pray.

Worship Associate: Mike & Shannon Truex

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

APRIL SERVICES

April 5~ "Stand Your Ground or Walk Away?"

Speaker: Pete Rieke

How have we inexplicably become a more fearful society? More and more, many of us fear that social interactions could potentially lead to dangerous conflicts. Many feel that they must be prepared, with weapon at ready, to respond to any situation. This new "stand your ground" attitude replaces the previous civic norm where people are expected to "walk away" and contact the police. Is this perception of social danger real? How should one react to people who might be dangerous or mentally ill? Is fear a growing part of a police officer’s job? How can we work with our police departments to deescalate the tension in our streets? When it comes to finding new ways to improve our communities, we must not walk away, we must stand our ground.

Worship Associate: Alex Emig

Musician: Ellen Fillion

April 12~ "A Great Cloud of Witnesses"

Speaker: Rev. Carol McKinley

Last month, more than 100,000 people gathered in Selma, Alabama to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the day voting rights marchers attempting to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge were turned back by fire hoses, police bludgeons, and attack dogs. That brutal response horrified millions of people who watched events live on television; hundreds of clergy and laypersons responded to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s call to join the Selma-Montgomery march. A half century later, we are still called to respond to the need to work for equality and human rights.The Reverend Carol McKinley retired in 2012 as Coordinator of Washington State Unitarian Universalist Voices for Justice, our statewide legislative advocacy network. A community minister affiliated with the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, she serves as a member of the PNWD Healthy Congregations Team and the PNWD Board.

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Ellen Fillion

April 19 ~ "Earth Day, Every Day"

Speaker: CUUC Members

In this intergenerational service, we will celebrate Earth and our interconnections with Nature. We will explore ways that each of us can care for, and participate in, the life of our planet.

Worship Associate: Mike & Shannon Truex

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

April 26 ~ "Sensing Our Place"

Speaker: Scott Woodward

When we find a place that fits, we develop a relationship with the details of this home. The variations of color and intensity jump out; the different songs of birds and fixed remains of what has walked on the same path as you are now open for your inspection. All of this settles in and becomes part of this place. A proper homing develops and you begin to nurture a sub-conscious feeling for where you are. Your sense of place is established.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Fran Handy

MARCH SERVICES

March 1 ~ “Beginnings”

Speaker: Teri Robertson

How the past comes back.

Worship Associate: Alex Emig

Musician: Ellen Fillion

March 8 ~ “This I Pledge”

Speaker: CUUC Members

We are a self-sustaining community. Today, we will celebrate the gifts we have shared with each other and the possibilities for our future.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Ellen Fillion

March 15 ~ “Answering the Religious Right with the Big Heart of Universalism”

Speaker: Alex Emig

The culture war" is nothing new. Come hear how Universalists have historically responded and how they can inspire us today.

Worship Associate: Alex Emig

Musician: Fran Handy

March 22 ~ “Fifty Years From Now”

Speaker: Rev. Connie Yost

Fifty years ago, many Unitarian Universalists joined with thousands of people from across the United States in the struggle for voting rights in Selma, Alabama. Rev. Yost will reflect on the civil rights movement then and now and share highlights from her recent trip to Selma as part of the UU Living Legacy project. Where will our marching in the arc of justice lead us for the next fifty years?

Rev. Yost is a UU community minister affiliated with First Unitarian Church, Portland. She is the founder and coordinator of Friends Stay Warm, a nonprofit which provides utility assistance to farm and other low-wage workers.

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Ellen Fillion

March 29 ~ “Tamástslikt Cultural Institute”

Speaker: Randall Melton

Randall Melton will discuss the origins and purpose of Tamástslikt Cultural Institute as a tribal museum representing the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla tribes. Tamástslikt is owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, located near Pendleton, Oregon. Randall is the Collection Curator for Tamástslikt Cultural Institute. He is an enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and a graduate of Eastern Oregon University with a B.S. in anthropology/sociology. Randall has worked for Tamástslikt since 1996 and as the Collection Curator since 2004.

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

FEBRUARY SERVICES

February 1 ~ “Groundhog Day and Second Chances”

Speaker: Alex Emig

Groundhog Day is not just a day to think about whether a furry mammal will appear. It's also a great day to examine and re-examine our lives.

Worship Associate: Alex Emig

Musician: Ellen Fillion

February 8 ~ “Intention is Everything!”

Speaker: Ellen Kathren

Elijah Family Homes fosters hope, dignity, and self-sufficiency through stable housing and supportive services for families in recovery. Hear how this mission-centered organization helps families continue on their paths towards breaking the cycle of substance abuse and poverty by aligning its intentions with God.

Ellen is the Executive Director of Elijah Family Housing, one of the participants in our Alternative Gift Fair this year.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Ellen Fillion

February 15 ~ “Before the Numinous Stars”

Speaker: Rev. Ken Jones

Throughout the ages, people have gazed to the heavens, particularly at night, in an attempt to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Join us this morning as Rev. Ken Jones tells stories of some of his engagements with the magic of the nighttime sky and what these kinds of experiences offer us in our spiritual journeys.

Rev. Jones is visiting as a candidate for our next half-time minister. Please join us for the service and an opportunity to visit with Rev. Jones during a pot-luck after the service. Rev. Jones graduated from the Starr King School for Ministry in 1999. Since then, he has served as the called minister for 8 years in Tacoma, WA, and is currently the half-time minister in Yakima, WA. He has also served as a half-time interim minister in Hood River, OR.

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Ellen Fillion

February 22 ~ “Journeys Through Time”

Speaker: CUUC Members

Join us for an intergenerational exploration of time. Together, we will travel to the past and the future and consider the possibilities of the present.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Mike, Shannon & Sean Truex

JANUARY SERVICES

January 4~“Winter Vespers”

Speaker: CUUC Members

Please join us for a vespers service with readings of hopes for the New Year.

We'll examine some reflections on how to lessen worry and increase acceptance. We'll consider how we do the best we can with what we know - if we focus on an attitude of love, what might we learn about ourselves, life and the tasks at hand.

Worship Associate: Diane Reed

Musician: Ellen Fillion

January 18~ “Black Lives Matter: Ferguson and the Titanic”

Speaker: Gail Taff

We honor the legacy of Dr. King by using our heads and our hearts to respond to the question: How can liberal religion help us find meaning and purpose in troubled times? Reflecting on two very different events, we seek to take one more step toward justice.

Worship Associate: Mike Truex

Musician: Mike & Shannon Truex

January 25~“This I Believe”

Speaker: CUUC Members

Today, a few church members will share how they respond to an opportunity to say “This I Believe …